Original subtitles

This is the city, Los Angeles, California.

Like cities everywhere,

visitors accept it at face value,

and like cities everywhere,

all is not what it appears to be.

A high school can hide a gang of car thieves.

A slum can be the home of a poet.

A quiet suburban street

can be the scene of a double homicide.

The trained observer takes nothing at face value.

He learns to look beneath the surface.

Some observers look for their own gain.

I look for yours. I carry a badge.

It was Monday, May 5th.

It was clear in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch

out of Frauds Division, Bunko Section.

The boss is Captain Lambert.

My partner's Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

On most jobs, Monday mornings are usually routine.

When you're a police officer,

there are very few routine days.

This Monday was not to be one of those few.

The story you are about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

You see these?

First thing, Joe. You know that.

- Go ahead, admit it. - What's that?

You're wondering what I'm doing.

- Am I? - Why don't you ask me?

I know you well enough. You'll tell me.

Not if you don't ask, I won't.

- Yes, you will. - You just watch, pal.

You can learn something

that cost me 3 bucks to find out.

- What's that? - You see what I'm doing?

Hiding money in envelopes.

Not hiding, Joe.

See what I wrote on the face of this one?

Insurance.

See this one?

Haircuts.

You don't know what this is all about. Do you?

You're gonna tell me.

Because you're a friend, Joe, I'll let you in on it.

Cost me 3 bucks, a buck and a half each,

for me and Eileen to attend that lecture.

What lecture?

Sponsored by the PTA at the boys' school

to raise funds for the new gym.

- Is that so? - New gym's built.

They need money for equipment,

so they're having this series of lectures.

Six for a buck and a half. Well worth it too, Joe.

What are the lectures about?

Home management.

They have these experts come in and speak.

Like Friday night,

this economics professor from Loyola,

Father Paul Donnelly, he showed us

this surefire system to keep a home budget.

With those envelopes.

Well, that's the key to it.

You draw up a list of your regular expenses, see?

Then you write each separate expense

on the face of one envelope, like insurance,

mortgage, clothing, telephone.

And you put the money in each envelope every week.

That's it.

That way, you have your whole budget planned

and cash on hand to meet your obligations.

How many envelopes you got there?

Well, let's see.

Eileen and I figured we have 19 separate items, all told.

Well, you need one more, don't you?

What for?

A buck to buy the envelopes.

Friday.

Yes, sir.

- Gannon there with you? - Yes, sir.

Both of you come into the office, will you?

Right, Captain. You heard the man.

Just a second. I forgot I need another one of these.

Yeah.

Put it down in this one every time,

I'll be a millionaire inside of a month.

What's that?

For every time you come up with some smart remark

about my way of doing things.

Sergeant Friday, Officer Gannon, Tyler Finch,

president of the Southwest Businessmen's Association.

Mr. Finch and I have just come down

from the chief's office.

Would you mind telling these two officers

what you told me upstairs?

Well, no, I don't mind.

But this will make the third time, Captain.

I must say you people really are cooperating.

If you would please, Mr. Finch.

Surely. Boy, I told the gang at Monday night's meeting

you people would appreciate this.

As far as that goes, the whole city will.

What's that, sir?

Just look at that. She's a beauty. Isn't she?

Bet you boys would like to win one like that yourselves.

Yes, sir. It's a nice trophy.

You betcha.

You know, Captain, this one goes over big,

we can make it a yearly award, you know.

I'm sure all of us in SWBMA would be happy to give it.

Now, Mr. Finch, would you give Friday and Gannon here the details?

Oh, I'm sorry, Captain.

You see, it was kind of my idea, this trophy,

and I guess I get a little carried away.

My baby, you know.

Yes, sir.

Officer Gideon C. Dingle, badge number 3986.

You boys know him?

No, sir. I don't believe I do.

Dingle? No, I don't.

Well, like the chief was saying,

fine fella, that chief of yours.

Like he was saying, you got some 5,000 men on the force.

Guess you can't know them all, can you?

No, sir.

One of the boys in our association, the SWBMA,

he played ball for UCLA, '34 and '35,

all American both years.

Well, him and me, we know we found

an all-American policeman, Gideon C. Dingle.

He's great stuff, one in a million,

great example for the kids,

the community, and for you people.

Kind of reminds you of Pat O'Brien, you know,

in one of those Warner Brothers movies.

Sounds like he's quite a guy.

And your organization is gonna present him

with that trophy, is that the idea?

Just wish it was solid gold, that's all.

Solid gold. Gideon Dingle deserves it.

You know, the thing I like about this

is the way he took it when we told him.

How do you mean, sir?

Why, he wouldn't have none of it, no part.

Just doing what we tax payers paid him for.

I tell you, he's great stuff, that Dingle.

That's really what I'm doing down here.

How is that, sir?

Well, Dingle's acting like a school kid about this thing.

Said he didn't deserve anything, nothing at all.

Now, we've got this beautiful metallic trophy

and we aim to see that he takes it.

It's the least we can do.

So, at the suggestion of the steering committee at the SWBMA,

I called the chief personally.

Great stuff, that chief of yours.

- Know what he said? - No, sir.

I told him what we wanted, and he said

for me to trot right down and talk it over.

He said something about it not being necessary

to give out a trophy, that as tax payers

we paid your salaries and that was enough.

It's not enough for us.

This trophy is just a little something extra,

a lasting tribute to a fine policeman.

Mr. Finch, the department has its own service awards.

You remember the chief explaining that to you?

Yes, Captain.

We at the SWBMA know about those,

but this is a little something extra for a man

who gives a little something extra in his line of duty,

and we aim to see that Gideon C. Dingle

is properly recognized by some of the citizens he serves.

Do you know what the boys really wanted to do?

And I told him we'd have to check with you people first.

What's that? They want to call it

the GCDACSA,

the Gideon C. Dingle Annual Citizen Service Award.

Yes, sir. That's what they wanted to call it.

Well, that's very commendable.

So is he. Now, as to why I'm here,

what with Gideon being the shy old bird that he is,

you people have got to help us.

We want to set up the award ceremony,

and we want you to guarantee that you'll produce him

on the specified night to accept his trophy.

Afraid we can't do that, Mr. Finch.

You mean, you won't?

I mean, we can't.

There is no officer Gideon C. Dingle

in the Los Angeles police force.

- Well, we might have known. - Yes, sir?

Man with as much humility as Dingle.

How is that?

He didn't even give us his right name.

As a matter of routine, Mr. Finch,

while you were talking to the chief,

his aid checked our personnel files.

How about badge 3986?

At the present time, that number isn't on issue.

But it's a real badge, and the uniform.

I tell you, there's something wrong here.

That's why Sgt. Friday and his partner are in here.

They're assigned to this now and they'll run it down.

I feel like an overgrown fool, Captain.

What will I tell the boys at the SWBMA?

Hopefully, nothing.

We've taken you into our confidence.

We'd like you not to say anything to anyone about this

until we pick up the man.

You figure he's up to something?

We don't know if he has criminal intent or not.

But usually, in this kind of case,

an individual will often gain the confidence

of unsuspecting people,

and then work some kind of a swindle.

But he's been around the neighborhood

for a couple of months now.

Wouldn't you think if he was up to something,

he'd have tried by now?

Not necessarily.

Some of these bunko artists spend a great deal of time

setting up an operation.

We won't know anything for sure

until we catch up with him.

- Seems a shame, don't it? - What's that, Mr. Finch?

Me and the boys, all of us, being taxpayers and all,

we thought we were doing right.

We figured we found ourselves

a real fine policeman to do something nice for.

You did.

I sure don't see how you figure that now, Captain.

You thought enough of your police department

to want to commend it,

and in a very thoughtful and generous way.

Yeah. But our special policeman turns out to be a phony.

It's really nothing to feel bad about, Mr. Finch.

We thought he was great stuff.

We've got 5,000 more in the city who are.

9:20 a.m. Along with Tyler Finch,

Bill and I returned to the squad room.

We again reminded Finch not to mention to anyone

that Gideon Dingle was an imposter.

He assured us he wouldn't.

Finch gave us a description of Dingle.

He gave us a list of names

of some of the men in his association

that had dealt with Dingle

more directly than some of the other members.

He also furnished us with the names of businessmen

in the neighborhood to whom Dingle had been helpful

while impersonating a police officer.

9:35 a.m. we ran the name Gideon C. Dingle through R & I.

It began to get tough.

He had no previous criminal record.

We left the police administration building

and drove out to begin the interviews with people

who still believed that Gideon C. Dingle

was a model police officer.

The first name on our list was George Lumm.

He owned and operated a bar in New Chinatown.

He was one of the initial sponsors

of the Gideon C. Dingle award.

It was 9:47 a.m. when we arrived

at the Green Dragon Bar and Grill.

Yes, gentlemen. May I help you?

Police officers. This is Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

I am George Lumm. I am the proprietor.

May I help you?

Are you a member of the Southwest Businessmen's Association?

Yes. That is right.

We'd like to talk to you about Gideon Dingle.

Oh, yes. Officer Dingle.

Fine man. Fine man.

When's the last time you saw him?

The day before yesterday. Yes, that's right.

At closing time, as usual.

As usual?

I always feel so secure when Officer Dingle is around.

I never worry about a robbery.

You observe the 2 a.m. curfew, do you?

Of course. All drinks are picked up by 1:30 a.m.

That isn't what I meant, Mr. Lumm.

- I mean, you close at 2. - Well, yes, sir.

And what time do you open for business?

For lunch. We serve a merchant's lunch.

Sometimes Officer Dingle eats here.

Does he pay for it?

Every time.

I try to pick up his check, but he won't hear of it.

He says police officers are not allowed to accept gratuities.

That is why you are here?

How is that?

You are checking due to the award

we are going to bestow?

I can assure you, you need check no further.

Officer Dingle is a fine example of your police department.

You should be proud of him.

Yes, sir. Now you say he's here every night at closing time.

No. Not every night.

Sometimes three or four times a week.

Once in a while, he comes by in the mornings.

Oh.

Oh, yes. He helps us check in the liquor

from the wholesale houses,

and you should see how he keeps an eye on the duck man.

The duck man?

We serve a great deal of pressed duck here.

I know for a fact, my duck man was cheating me.

But ever since Officer Dingle has been around, no more.

He stands right by the scale when the birds are weighed in.

Now I find I get several more servings

for the same amount of duck. Isn't that nice?

Yes, sir.

Does this Officer Dingle live around here?

Would you know?

Don't you? I mean, you are members

of the same police department, are you not?

Well, we haven't checked on his address.

We thought you might know offhand.

No, I do not.

Do you think he'll be by today?

- Funny. - What's that, sir?

You sound like you are looking for him.

We are.

Oh, now I see. Tyler.

Tyler Finch, our president,

he said something about going downtown

to see you people about Officer Dingle.

We want to make sure he will be present

to accept his award.

I believe it is to be sometime next week.

If he should happen to come in,

would you be good enough to give us a call?

Detective Division.

Yes, sir. That's right.

It won't do any good.

How's that?

Mr. Dingle does not want to be a detective.

Huh?

He has said many times,

he just wants to be an ordinary policeman all his life.

10:15 a.m.

Obviously, it wasn't gonna be easy.

We knew we couldn't run the risk

of more intensive questioning

in regard to Gideon Dingle's whereabouts.

If the remainder of the neighborhood business people

were as taken in as George Lumm,

they might also warn Dingle that we were looking for him.

The next name on the list was a Miss Ardith Roach.

She was the owner of the Sunshine Academy,

a nursery school.

Police officers. You're Ardith Roach?

Yes, that's right.

You a member of the Southwest Businessmen's Association?

Yes, I am.

You acquainted with Officer Gideon Dingle?

- Well, it's about time. - Ma'am?

I want to speak to you about him.

Yes, ma'am.

Now, everybody, look in your picture books.

I'll be back in a minute, and I'll want you all

to tell me about Uncle Dudley and his farm.

Will you step back here?

I don't want the children to hear what I have to say.

Yes, ma'am.

That Officer Dingle,

you really should have a talk with him.

Yes, ma'am. We'd like to.

I shouldn't wonder. Are you his superiors?

Not, exactly.

Well, he's not exactly setting a good example

for my children and their mothers.

How do you mean, Miss Roach?

Well, you know about the award

all of us are going to present to him.

Yes, ma'am. We've heard about it.

Yes, well, the minute he heard about it,

I'm told he refused to accept it,

and after all he's done for us.

Now, I can understand humility and all that.

But everybody in this neighborhood

wants him to have that trophy and he should take it.

Yes, ma'am. When did you see him last?

That's just it.

The day after we had our meeting to decide on the award,

I'm told that Tyler Finch, our association president,

informed Officer Dingle of the presentation

and he just hasn't been around.

- How long ago was that? - Two days now.

And he always came by every day, always after school

to help the mothers pick up their youngsters.

Is that right?

Well, you know how much help that can be.

He always helps the children cross the street

and opens the car door for them

and he's such an efficient policeman on top of it all.

- Is that so? - Indeed.

He absolutely refused to let any of the mothers

double park in front of the school.

Refusing the award is one thing, but the other...

- What's that? - The mothers of my children

- want to show their appreciation, too. - Yes, ma'am.

Several of them baked him cakes and cookies,

and just look at them. They're getting stale.

Yes, ma'am.

If you should happen to see Officer Dingle,

would you be good enough to give us a call at this number?

Sergeant Friday. You outrank him, don't you?

In a way.

Did Tyler call you?

- Ma'am? - Tyler Finch.

He promised all of us that Officer Dingle

would be on hand to pick up his award at our next meeting,

and that's why you men are here.

We'd like to talk to him.

Good. If I see him, I'll give you a call.

Thank you very much, Miss Roach.

I wonder if you'd do me a favor.

What's that?

- Did you come in a police car? - Yes, ma'am. We did.

Why don't you just take all these nice things

the mothers made for him with you?

You could just put them in his locker

or wherever he keeps his things at the police station.

Well, you see, he doesn't work at the same division we do.

Oh, yes.

You work at the big police building on Los Angeles Street.

That's right.

No wonder.

How's that?

Officer Dingle told me

he'd never go near that building.

Why is that?

Well, he said he was afraid

he'd end up with a desk job like you two.

We continued to check out the various merchants

who were members of the Southwest Businessmen's Association.

Every place we went, it was the same story.

Officer Gideon Dingle was a man above reproach,

the ideal cop on the beat.

No one had seen him for the past two days.

The last name on the list was Harry Wilson,

the assistant manager of the United Bank of Los Angeles.

Yes, sir, two days now.

And I must say I miss Officer Dingle.

Yeah.

Every afternoon, around three, closing time,

he always showed up.

Sure gives you a feeling of security

knowing a cop on a beat keeps an eye on things.

You say he's been showing up every day at closing?

Yes, sir. I tell you,

I'm delighted that the association

is gonna commend that man.

What did you people do?

Transfer him to another beat?

No, sir. We'd just like to talk to him.

Well, I'm sure happy to know that.

We wouldn't want to lose him around here.

Always doing something for somebody.

- Is that right? - I should say.

You know, in the banking business,

you get to know everybody pretty well.

Yes, sir.

Well, Miss Finley, she's in her 60s.

Well, she came in one day last week

to deposit her welfare check.

It was around 2:45 in the afternoon

and Dingle was here as usual.

Yeah.

She told Dingle her cat got loose

and climbed up a palm tree.

And you know that that man went over to her house,

got that cat of hers down out of that tree for her?

What do you think of that?

Yes, sir. That was good of him.

You bet your life.

That man is a walking bundle of good will

for your police department.

Yes, sir.

Don't see many around like him, do you?

No, sir. Not many.

3:45 p.m.

We returned to the office to add up what we had.

We were no closer to locating Officer Gideon Dingle

than before we left.

One thing you got to say, Joe.

What's that?

This Dingle is a real goodie-two-shoes, isn't he?

He doesn't have the smell of somebody

trying to set up a score, does he?

You know, that's what I'm beginning to think.

Maybe he's a dingaling,

going around rescuing old ladies' cats,

helping kids cross the street.

That business of showing up at closing time

at the Chinese restaurant and the bank,

maybe he's casing them.

My guess is no.

He really sounds like a king sized do-gooder.

Either that or he's a squirrel.

Whatever he is, he's on our side.

Know what these are?

Well, they look like traffic citations.

Forgeries. Pretty good ones at that.

What about them, or shouldn't I ask?

You shouldn't.

Officer Gideon C. Dingle issued these,

but that's only half the problem.

Yeah.

You ever try to convince anyone in this city

that they don't have to pay a traffic fine?

I see what you mean.

Now these were all written out of University Division.

Know what Captain Reese out there told me?

Right now I'd believe anything.

He said these six people came in and insisted on paying

even after they were told the tickets were forgeries.

To a man, they said Officer Dingle was a fair cop.

If he wrote them a ticket, they were gonna pay.

When were the tickets written?

Over a period of three days last week.

Apparently the good officer gets around on that beat of his.

Yeah.

Dingle's been operating in the main

and around the southwest area of the city, hasn't he?

Far as we know.

And he's really stretched his beat

getting all the way out there to NSC.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Considerate of him, wasn't it?

He didn't write any on Sunday.

Got it all here, above name has 10 days

to report to University Division to pay fines.

Cost him a little money to have those printed up.

All those people show up today to pay them?

Since 9:00 this morning.

Resent the tickets down here an hour ago.

Maybe Dingle switched operations.

You better hop out there and nose around.

Right, Captain.

If you turn up anything, we might try staking him out.

Captain?

- Yeah? - Larson. University detective.

Yes, Larson?

Captain said you'd probably want to talk to these people.

This is Lola Randolph and Bob Green.

Yes.

Officer Dingle.

- What about him? - It was last Thursday night.

Yes.

He told us to turn ourselves in

for curfew violation.

We assured the two high school students

that there was no reason for them to turn themselves in.

We reminded them that there was a curfew law

and they told us that they would observe it in the future.

I'll tell you something. I've seen a few in my day.

But this Dingle grabs it all. He's a one-man task force.

He's sure badge happy. You got to say that.

Yet you can't really fault the guy.

He's on the side of the angels.

Well, let's get to him before he trips over his halo.

We left the police administration building

and drove out to 1546 Santa Barbara Avenue

to University Division's station.

We talked with Captain Charles Reese at University.

He couldn't tell us anymore than we already knew.

The division was alerted now

and they would be on the lookout

for Officer Gideon Dingle.

4:28 p.m. We returned to the office.

Sergeant Friday.

Harry Wilson, assistant manager, United Bank.

Yes, sir.

I thought I better come up to tell you fellas.

Yes, sir. It's about Officer Dingle.

All right.

He knows that I'm one of the people

that's pushing this award we're giving him.

Yeah.

Well, he called me on the phone.

He's quite a guy.

Let me tell you what he said.

Go ahead.

He said that for once and for all,

he wasn't deserving

and that he wanted us to just forget about it.

And just to keep from having to take that trophy,

he went a step further.

What's that?

He quit.

- Sir. - That's right.

Dingle quit the police department.

When did he call you?

Oh, about an hour after you two left.

Did he say anything else?

What else was there to say?

While Officer Dingle didn't look young,

he didn't look like a man that was ready for retirement.

What I mean is a good man like that

spending all those years on the force.

Shame for him to up and quit.

Did he tell you where he might be going?

What he planned on doing?

No. Just said he wanted to thank everybody for the award.

But now he couldn't accept it

since he no longer was a policeman.

What a guy.

We appreciate you coming in, Mr. Wilson.

Now if you should happen to hear from him again,

let us know, will you?

You keep saying that.

Is there something funny going on?

You people can contact him easier than I can.

That's one of the reasons I came down.

We still want to give him that trophy.

We don't care if he quit or not.

That's what I came to see you about.

Yes, sir.

Wonder if you could give me his home phone.

Friday, Gannon.

Just had a call from Engine Company 386.

- The fire department? - That's right.

You'd better get out to 38th and Hoover right away.

Fire at one of the sorority houses near the university.

- Yeah. - I don't have to tell you

who is directing the fire fighting operations.

Officer Dingle.

Battalion Chief Gideon Dingle.

Excuse me, I'm sorry. I couldn't help overhearing.

Yes, sir.

You people sure lost a good man to the fire department.

It took us 23 minutes to get to 38th and Hoover.

Captain Dan Packard met us at the front porch.

He told us that Dingle had shown up

shortly after his men and equipment had arrived.

He said that he had recognized Dingle as an imposter

and had called into University Division.

I could see the guy wasn't causing any trouble,

so I detained him waiting for you.

Where is he now?

In the kitchen. We had a small grease fire here.

Nothing to it. We had it contained in five minutes.

I put two of my men out in back

in case the guy decided to take off.

And I've been covering the front here.

Thanks, Captain

What is he, some kind of nut?

We don't know,

but he sure likes working for the city.

Hold it. Hold it. Sorry, boys.

No one allowed in there until we're sure it's out.

Police officers.

Arson squad, huh? Okay, men. Go right on in.

Your name Dingle?

Right. Battalion Chief Gideon Dingle.

Engine Company 387.

Just here giving assist to 386.

You're under arrest, Dingle.

- Didn't fool you, huh? - Afraid not.

We want to advise you of your constitutional rights.

I have the right to remain silent.

Anything I say can be used against me in a court of law.

I have the right to an attorney.

If I cannot afford an attorney,

one will be appointed before any questioning, right?

Do you understand it?

Oh, I should. Don't you think?

- Huh? - I used to be a cop.

The suspect was found guilty

of violating sections 538D and E,

Penal Code of the State of California,

in that he willfully impersonated

both a peace officer and fireman,

misdemeanors which are punishable by imprisonment

in the County Jail not exceeding six months,

or by a fine not exceeding $500, or by both.